Palin is upset with a blogger who doctored a photo of herself and son Trig.

(CNN) – A week after a high-profile uproar with comedian David Letterman over the late-night host's joke about her daughter, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is again sharply responding to the appearance of her children in the public sphere.

Palin's latest response comes after liberal Alaskan Blogger Linda Kellen Biegel doctored a photograph of the former Republican vice presidential candidate with her 1-year-old son Trig, who suffers from Down Syndrome.

Biegel, who blogs in support of the Alaska Democratic Party under the name "Celtic Diva," superimposed a picture of conservative Alaskan radio host Eddie Burke over Trig's face in an apparent effort to show how close the radio host is with the Alaskan governor.

"Recently we learned of a malicious desecration of a photo of the Governor and baby Trig that has become an iconic representation of a mother's love for a special needs child," Palin spokeswoman Meghan Stapelton said in a statement provided to CNN. "The mere idea of someone doctoring the photo of a special needs baby is appalling."

Stapelton also suggested President Obama should speak out against such behavior from liberal activists.

"Babies and children are off limits," She said. "It is past time to restore decency in politics and real tolerance for all Americans. The Obama Administration sets the moral compass for its party. We ask that special needs children be loved, respected and accepted and that this type of degeneracy be condemned."

Responding on her blog to the uproar, Biegel said in no uncertain terms the doctored picture was intended to make fun of Burke, not Trig Palin.

"It's called 'Baby Burke' because it's Eddie Burke...basically his probable second-biggest fantasy about the Governor," she wrote. "So, connecting the dots for you...WE'RE MAKING FUN OF EDDIE BURKE!!!!!!"

Earlier this month Biegel filed an ethics complaint against Palin for wearing a jacket made by a company that sponsored her husband - a snow mobile racer - to a public event. An investigator ruled Palin had not acted wrongly and the Alaska governor accused Biegel "asinine political grandstanding."

soundoff(307 Responses)

There is a lot of evil, cruel people out there and they stop at nothing. God Bless you Sarah America loves you!

June 25, 2009 10:58 am at 10:58 am |

Betty

I'm no Sarah Palin fan, but people need to leave her children alone!

June 25, 2009 10:58 am at 10:58 am |

MelissaNC

Sarah Palin needs to get a life. When you are in the public eye as a politician, good and bad publicity comes with the territory. And, she had the gall to acuse Hillary Clinton of being a whiner? She could take some lessons from Hillary Clinton on how to suit up and take publicity (good or bad) with class.

June 25, 2009 10:58 am at 10:58 am |

Robert Austin, Texas

I think it has become apparent that Palin has become a "special needs" adult.

June 25, 2009 10:58 am at 10:58 am |

Josh

Ms. Stapleton must not have been around to protest Rush Limbaugh's comments on Chelsea Clinton, then. That's the only explanation.

June 25, 2009 10:58 am at 10:58 am |

Fairview

"a malicious desecration of a photo of the Governor and baby Trig"

Wow, that's the funniest line I've read all week. Laughed out loud at that one.

Seriously though, I think Palin is trying to slowly build an air of untouchability around herself by labeling critics and comedians as somehow immoral. It will add a few more egg shells to the path if she runs for office in the future.

June 25, 2009 10:58 am at 10:58 am |

Dave R.

"...malicious desecration of a photo of the Governor and baby"?

Desecration? The governor is now sacred? What an ego.

June 25, 2009 10:58 am at 10:58 am |

Liberals??

A lot of liberals need to know where to draw the line. You don't attack a person's family or make personal attacks on a person. If you want to talk about their politics and disagree with it, that's your business. Leave family and family members out of it. This woman is a govenor of a state of our country. Talk about someone's politics but some of you need to learn where to draw the line.

June 25, 2009 10:58 am at 10:58 am |

Harvey for Obama

One word Palin, lighten up. If you get your back up everytime someone pokes fun at you, you'll stay out there.

June 25, 2009 10:58 am at 10:58 am |

Randolph Carter

Poor Sarah. People are so mean to her. Boo hoo. Have a nice day!

June 25, 2009 10:59 am at 10:59 am |

Well oh well

She really needs to get a grip. She put herself out there in the public eye. Before she ran for vp she was unheard of except in Alaska. So she has a special needs child, many do. I don't see a special needs child in the picture, she's tossing that out there for spin.

June 25, 2009 10:59 am at 10:59 am |

Ryan

How can CNN post this? This is not journalism. This is tabloid journalism at best. Step your game up CNN!

June 25, 2009 10:59 am at 10:59 am |

Foxrun

What's terribly sad is: 1) that CNN chooses to cover such crude news, 2) that most liberals only care about their own selfish desires and have complete disregard for moral conduct.

June 25, 2009 10:59 am at 10:59 am |

Alex

Can someone make her go away please... Enough already.

June 25, 2009 10:59 am at 10:59 am |

Independent Voter

no, what's appalling is palin's constant whinning and complaining over trivial stuff! palin needs to get a life and quit trying to make one in the media!!

God Bless President Obama, VP Biden, the First Families and "Bo"

June 25, 2009 10:59 am at 10:59 am |

Kimberley in California

Of course. It's been a week now, time to get her name back in the news.

This time I love the arrogance of assuming that the original photo "has become an iconic representation....." And I love bringing the Obama Administration into retouching a photo (First Amendment!!!). Obama has nothing else to do...why isn't he on this ;-)

June 25, 2009 11:00 am at 11:00 am |

Disgusted reader

Too bad Palin didn't think about all this before her children were so much a part of her campaign for VP. You can't have it both ways...winning votes because of children then "crying wolf" when they are used in other ways.

June 25, 2009 11:00 am at 11:00 am |

Reality bites

Palin, all public figures are subject to this kind of stuff. If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

June 25, 2009 11:00 am at 11:00 am |

IOWA LIBERAL

Sarah, quit trotting out the "special needs" card. It's unfortunate that you've been targeted for this type of media misbehavior but I can't see how it would be any different than any other baby with someone's face superimposed. I think society is trying to knock you down a peg for pretending to be qualified to be a vice-presidential candidate. You would proably be the most popular politician in the country if you had been humble and publically admitted that from the beginning.

June 25, 2009 11:00 am at 11:00 am |

Chris

What is it with all the attacks on Palin? People should be ashamed of themselves.

June 25, 2009 11:00 am at 11:00 am |

Earlene

What was this reporter thinking, to degrade the face of a SPECIAL NEED CHILD. Obviously, he/she does not have any compassion for self. When one stup to de-face a special need child there is not much you can say about that person other than WOW.

June 25, 2009 11:00 am at 11:00 am |

casual_observer

The attacks on politicians families have crossed the line in this election cycle.
Starangely enough, they seem to be coming mainly from the party currently in power... I wonder why? Perhaps insecurity?

Now, let the flaming begin – 3, 2, 1

June 25, 2009 11:00 am at 11:00 am |

Enufznuf

With all due respect to Mrs. Palin and anyone offended by this pic. GET OVER IT ALREADY! The Letterman joke was in poor taste, yes, but this pic is not even close to that level. Suppose it was a picture of Mrs. Palin and any other baby whose face was then replaced with a super-imposed image of the radio host (or anyone else for that matter). In no way did I or shoudl anyone else see this as disrespectful to a mother and her love of her child. Interpret it for WHAT IT IS....A representation of how close/supportive this talk show host is to Mrs. Palin's.

June 25, 2009 11:00 am at 11:00 am |

Robin

Sarah Palin must have too much time on her hands to respond to all this stuff. Keep your mouth shut and the person doing it looks like an idiot. Open it, and well...